Removing the Ribbon
by cjsmalley
Summary: It is time. The school is about to open and Harry must face his past, will he fail, what does a blonde waif have to do with it, and with Magical Britain accept change?
1. Chapter 1

**Removing the Ribbon**

**Disclaimer: **_**I do not own Harry Potter, any related characters and/or concepts belong to JK Rowling and/or Bloomsbury and Scholastic Publishing companies and/or Warner Brothers Studios. Likewise I do not own Doctor Who, any related characters and/or concepts belong to the BBC. I am a mere Fanfiction writer with far too much time on her hands.**_

**Spoilers**_**: Post Stolen Earth, no Journey's End, and AU where Rose and the Meta stayed. Set after "Forming Family", "Tiny Traveler", "Procuring a Professor For Potter", "Quite the Day", "How Harry Met Hedwig" and "Magical Madness".**_

**Prologue:**

Headmaster Longbottom surveyed the incoming class as they took their seats in the bleachers. They were small, being Reception age, and so lively.

He grinned, feeling their contagious enthusiasm seeping into his old bones. Harry had been right, all those years ago, and he was glad they listened.

The children settled, buzzing in excitement and anticipation, and waited for him to speak.

He stepped forward, put his wand to his voice box, and intoned in a magically enhanced voice, "Welcome, my children, welcome, to the Potter Primary School for Magical Children," he smiled, "today is the first day of the rest of your lives. So, without further ado, let's get you sorted."

As he watched, Neville Longbottom briefly wondered where his old friend was but shrugged that thought off as he had a feeling that they would appear sooner rather than later.

Indeed, as soon as everyone had been sorted but before he could begin speaking again, a wheezing, whooping sound echoed in the auditorium as a red muggle phone box began fading in. As soon as the contraption landed, the side decorated by a golden hieroglyph as tall as a man facing the children, the doors opened and out walked a man.

He was grinning and waved to the children, booming in a great, deep voice, "Hello kids!"

They predictably went nuts, rushing him and babbling away. Neville tried to be annoyed, he really did, but couldn't quite manage to do so. He chuckled as his friend plucked up the littlest child, a girl afflicted with dwarfism, to make sure she didn't get trampled by accident.

The Auror, his childhood friend, knew how to get children excited about learning. Anything else was worth it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Part One:**

"I cannot believe you got away with that!" The Doctor laughed as he and his family returned from another fantastic adventure.

"I've told you not to touch anything," Rose tried to scold but she was laughing too.

Harry, six years old that day, grinned his most winsome smile and defended himself, "I didn't know _that_ was illegal! She looked bored outta her mind in that poofy dress!" he laughed, "And she never told me that the dress was an ancient heirloom passed down from queen to princess! One minute she was wearing it and the next it had dusted!"

But his eyes were sparkling in mischief even as he lost himself to laughter.

Still chuckling, his parents sent them into the Vortex with practiced ease as Harry made his way to his bedroom.

As soon as he crossed the threshold, he began undressing. His clothes were muddy and wet and so he threw them willy-nilly, knowing that Elsy would pop in behind him.

Briefly, his eyes scanned his souvenir shelves and the knick-knack he had accumulated over the past year. From a Celtic broadsword hanging over everything to a signed copy of _The Canterbury Tales_ everything pointed to his whirlwind education during the past year.

He pulled out some comfortable clothes, doubting there would be more adventures that day, and dressed for lounging around the TARDIS.

Quietly he dressed and then headed to the library. The library had always been a family room, they did have a lounge with sofas and a television and films and such but the library was always more homey.

Indeed, he found his mother perched on her favorite couch, book open. In a single move, he was stretched out over the couch, his head in her lap.

"Whatcha doin'?" he asked innocently, eyes wide.

Rose smiled, tousling his messy hair, replying, "Just some research; apparently there's this school in the States, they focus intensively on what they call '_Magitek_', merging magic an' technology. They're near the Silicon Valley in California so they have partnerships with most of the big names. Special dispensation from the Department of Magical Affairs."

Harry brows furrowed, "Might be best for me then, Time Lord and all."

"Only if ya want ta," she told him, "Miss Moon's working on gettin' special permission for ya ta go ta Hogwarts."

"I want to go to Hogwarts," he agreed, "but learning this 'Magitek' stuff might be best in the long run."

"We'll look into a correspondence course with 'em then or perhaps we can contact 'em, get their recommendations an' then hire a private teacher." She hummed slightly.

The door opened and the Doctor came in, smiling, "Sirius just called; construction's finished, they're ready for the grand opening."

Harry grinned, sitting up, "Well then, let's get going."

His father nodded before saying softly, "Harry, Madam Bones wants to know if you're up to dealing with Snape and Pettigrew…."

Harry stilled, blinking up slowly, "You mean…the two guys who sold me and my folks out to Voldemort?"

"Yeah," The Doctor sat down beside his son, explaining, "She's under a lot of pressure to toss them through the Veil soon; but we asked her to hold off, at least until you were old enough to talk to them if you want to," he pulled Harry close, "You don't have to, you understand; we just thought you might want to hear their excuses."

"Will you be with me?"

"Right outside the room, watching through a one way window."

Harry nodded, "'kay. Yeah, I wanna talk ta them."

"You sure?"

"'m sure Dad."

The Doctor nodded, briefly catching the eye of Rose who nodded her consent, standing up and saying, "Better go get dressed then."

Harry took off to his room.

Rose stood up, moving close to the Doctor, "He'll be fine," she whispered, "we'll be right there an' they won't have wands."

He exhaled shakily, drawing her close and tight, "I know, I just—He's only six, Rose, and he deserves to know the truth but he's so young."

It was all she could do to hug him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Part Two:**

The room was featureless, except for a metal table and two metal chairs all affixed to the floor. There was a glassy, mirror like wall on one side, a one-way window for observation. In one of the metal chairs sat Harry. He was wearing his dad's old coat, a multicolored nightmare that swallowed him completely, and one of his old ties with a piece of celery attached.

The door to the room opened and two guards brought in the most pathetic excuse for a human he had ever had the misfortune to lay eyes on.

The little, fat, balding, man had a rather rat-like face and trembled constantly, even as his escorts threw him into the empty chair and secured him completely before they left the room. The door, a heavy, metal, windowless slab, was ominous in its' closing.

"Hello, Mister Pettigrew," Harry began pleasantly, "or perhaps I should call you Wormtail."

"H-Harry," Peter Pettigrew stuttered, his tongue continually darting out to lick his lips as he broke out in a profuse sweat, "H-Harry, o-oh, l-l-l-look at-at y-you! Y-You, you look so ma-ma-ma-much like y-your dad."

"Really?" Harry drawled, eyebrow arching, "I wouldn't know, seeing how he's dead and I never really knew him. Thanks for that by the way."

"Na-na-na-now, now," Pettigrew began, "I-I-I did wha-wha-what I h-ha-ha-ha-ad to."

"Cut the crap, Pettigrew. By dawn tomorrow you'll be seeing him and my mum and you can try to butter them up all you want." Harry shifted into a glare, "I want to know why you betrayed us."

"The-the Dark La-la-la-Lord was ta-ta-ta-too powerful to fight; he'd've killed me!"

"Then you should have died!" Harry roared, "Died like my father would have done for you!"

"Oh, yes," Pettigrew seethed, quaking gone, "Brave, noble, James. Leader of the Marauders; kind James who let the loser almost squib tagalong in his little band of merry men. Don't think me stupid, boy, I know why exactly I was the Secret Keeper. Poor, stupid Peter. So weak nobody would dare assume I would be entrusted with a secret so important, so vital. The Location of the Prophesized Child." He grinned madly, "The Dark Lord was very impressed, so very rewarding for that information. _I_ was his most favored follower! His heir apparent! Neither Potter, Black, nor Lupin could say the same of Albus Dumbledore! I was most powerful!"

"You're delusional; Voldemort didn't share power, didn't have an heir apparent! He was a sociopathic cult leader. No different than any other charismatic madman with a dozen or so followers too weak-willed, greedy, petty, or stupid to say no. He was using you, you fool." Harry paused, before laughing, "Thing is, I can't figure out what category you were in. I'm putting money on stupid and greedy; greedy for power, too stupid to get it yourself."

Pettigrew snarled, "I am smarter than the wolf and mutt combined! I am smarter than your foolish parents! I am—"

"Nothing more than an insignificant pimple on the arse of time and space," Harry cut across the raving man, coolly, "too inconsequential for the Universe to be bothered to take what little time would be needed to pop you. I see you, Peter," Harry's eyes began glowing slightly and his voice became almost lyrical, "I see you; everything you have tried to hide and everything you have tried to forget. I see everything you have become and everything you could have been….Oh, Peter, you could have been so important; an owner of the best joke shop in the world, a husband to a wonderful woman, one who would have loved you for you, not for your money or power, father to a beautiful daughter and a handsome son, an uncle to dozens of nieces and nephews…however," Harry came from his trance, staring at the man across from him with disgust and hatred, "Because of your greed, your fear, your envy, you tossed that all away. Now, tonight you die, alone and hated."

"People will remember me!" Pettigrew gloated, so sure of his own infamy.

Harry chuckled, "No, no they won't. You will only be a footnote in history, if that; someone known only as 'The Potter Betrayer' if at all. Your name is to be struck from all records, anywhere. My mother, Bad Wolf, will erase your name from all of time _and_ space. Even I, nor your friends, will not remember it. You will be forgotten. This is our punishment for you, Peter Pettigrew. To be forgotten, forever."

The door opened and the guards retrieved a screaming and ranting Peter Pettigrew.

Harry left at a very sedate pace, meeting his parents. Silently, he lifted his arms in a universal gesture and Rose picked him up and held him close. It was only when she was holding him, he began to cry quietly.

He would face the second betrayer that afternoon but for now they were free.


	4. Chapter 4

**Part Three:**

He had found a comfortable, tranquil spot underneath a large oak tree in the garden of Black Manor. He loved his family but he really just needed to be alone with his thoughts for a while.

They had all guessed at Pettigrew's motives for his betrayal but nothing could compare to having them be confirmed.

Harry felt relieved, in an odd way, that he could not read his own timeline or see the myriad futures he could have had if he was raised by his biological parents. Still, like anyone else, he mused wistfully on the what-ifs and could-have-beens.

Then his head snapped up. Something had just brushed against his own mind. Instinctively, he snapped up every mental shield he could while still searching for the intruder. He knew the feel of his family's minds, however; the unknown sensation was that, unknown.

"Hello Harry Potter." A breathy voice greeted and he turned to find a blond girl his own age coming towards him. She was in a blue sundress and was barefoot. Her large silvery eyes were a bit unnerving as she watched him.

"Oh." she spoke, staring somewhere over his shoulder. Against his own will he too looked back but found nothing there.

"We've yet to meet in this reality." She continued, apologetically, "I apologize, Harry Potter, sometimes I confuse the future with the past." She sighed, "I'm Luna Lovegood."

His eyebrow rose, "You're a Seer." It wasn't an exclamation of surprise or a question, merely a statement.

"Yes," she nodded.

He spread his hands, palm up, and spoke, "Then I welcome you, Luna Lovegood, and beg your forgiveness for my rudeness. Pray tell, how have you arrive onto my godfather's lands?"

"I brought myself here in order for myself to meet you as we should," she replied in turn, "On a certain day, under the crescent moons, I shall be dispatched by a mutual ally to facilitate our meeting here today."

"Crossing your own timeline is highly dangerous," he returned, shocked, "Why would someone allow you to do that?"

"This day, this conversation, is a fixed point, Harry Potter. It must happen as it has, as it always had, and always will have."

He chuckled, "You do know, had I been in any other family I'd believe you're barking."

She gave a wry smile, "I'm used to that; I see in eight realities and multiple timelines all at once. I'm known for being a bit…_odd_." There was a tired sadness that did not match her age.

Harry smiled, a bit sadly. Seeing like that would wear anyone down, and Luna seemed powerful on top of that; "You're no odder than any of us." He gave her a grin, "We're all mad here."

"I know," she smiled more sincerely, before frowning, "Harry. Severus Snape, you're talking to him in a little while. He's dangerous—"

"I know."

"No, Harry, listen to me. He's a master mind-reader, he can even do it without his wand," she looked up at him worriedly, "He'll be able to get past even your father's mental shields, and your father's ancient and powerful. You can't look him in the eyes, do you understand? No matter what he says or does, you don't ever look him in the eyes. Once you do, he's in, he's in and you won't be able to get him out. He'll hurt you, damage your mind. He could even kill you. You mustn't look him in the eyes, under any circumstances. He'll bring up your biological mother, Lily. He'll bring up your biological father, James. He'll say horrible things, lie his arse off, just to get a rise out of you. You can't let him win, Harry. You can't."

She had grasped his hands in a begging way, eyes wide and earnest as they stared into his, "Don't let him in; he gets into you, he'll jump to anyone else telepathic. He could get into the TARDIS."

Harry felt a shot of fear, his stomach dropping as bile tried to force through his throat and out his mouth. The thought of the TARDIS being so violated turned his stomach in the worst way possible.

"What do I do?"

"You must become the Cub of the Storm," she explained in hushed tones, "Bad Wolf can protect you, but she must be within you."

"I-I can't do that!" he sputtered, "That'll kill me, and I won't regenerate, I haven't—"

"It will be okay," she reassured him, "It will be fine, Harry. You only need the tiniest portion possible. Bad Wolf will understand, she will know what to do. I will never work to harm you Harry."

He nodded, turning, and pulling her along with him as he headed back into Black Manor.


	5. Chapter 5

**Part Four:**

The room had not changed in the few hours between interviews, though the interviewer had. Instead of emerald eyes, neon green surveyed the guards bringing in the prisoner.

The man was tall and almost skeletal, swallow cheeked and hook nosed. Loose robes hung on his frame.

Like Pettigrew before him, he was secured to his chair. The guards left.

"Greetings, Mister Snape." It was a purr, a pleased sound, "I daresay I do not have to introduce myself, however I will anyway. I am Harry Potter; some have called me the Boy-Who-Lived. Thank you for that."

Snape made eye-contact and tried to worm his way into the boy's mind but he could not. He was bounced back, a migraine already forming.

"I should caution you not to attempt entrance again; it may splatter whatever little brain you possess."

"_Potter_." Snape spat before launching into a string of profanity to make a sailor blush. Invectives against the Potter line, invectives against Sirius Black, against Remus Lupin, and then against Harry's adoptive family.

"Yes, yes," Harry, or rather the Cub of the Storm, broke in, "you have an impressive vocabulary of filth." He leaned forward, smiling, "Now, Mister Snape, as you no doubt know by now, these are your last hours alive. By dawn tomorrow you will have gone into whatever afterlife you have earned. You're name with be erased from time and space, nobody will remember who exactly you were, merely your crimes."

"Now, I've been told confession is good for the soul. Confess your crimes and you might earn some forgiveness."

"Go to hell Potter!"

"Dear, dear." The Cub of the Storm grinned ferally, "I was hoping you'd say that." He slid a piece of parchment, "You see, I've been given permission to gain the information I want by any means necessary, Mister Snape. You are sentenced to death after all."

"You wouldn't dare, you don't have the stomach for it!"

The Cub of the Storm giggled, "Perhaps if I was merely Harry you'd be correct, Mister Snape, but I am not. I am the child of Bad Wolf and you are a microscopic piece of scum in the grand scheme of things. You are merely a sadist creep who got his jollies from torturing people and animals weaker than you and you also lusted after a woman you would never and could never have."

"Potter—"

"You see, Mister Snape, I am blessed with seeing every possible timeline in existence and in not one would you have won Miss Lily Evans as your lover by her own free will. And in each one, when you failed, you blamed everyone else but the true culprit, yourself. For, even in the timelines where your father was not abusive, you would still be an unrepentant, odious being. In fact, to call you a being insults beings. To call you a Dalek would be an insult to Daleks. There is not word for what you are, Mister Snape, and I shall not give you importance by inventing one just to describe you."

The boy became nearly predatory, "This is your last chance, Mister Snape, consent to sharing your memories and knowledge or I shall gleefully invade your mind and shatter it."

He had a wolfish appearance, lights catching oddly onto his face, "Too late."

And he made eye contact, pouring the full volume of his mind into that of his victim. He plundered and pillaged, happily mind-raping the man that set the bull's-eye onto the Potter family. Everything useful was taken; knowledge of potions and recipes, of spells and incantations. Of Voldemort and everything involved therefore in.

He was not gentle; he was not kind or cautious. He was a tsunami breaking over a small, poor coastline village. He burned; he scorched, destroying everything in his wake.

When the Cub of the Storm was finished, Severus Snape was no longer coherent, no longer useful. He whimpered and had spasms as he collapsed into his chair completely, eyes wide in terror and unseeing. His magic was shattered, unusable.

The Cub of the Storm smirked, closing his eyes and letting his mind sort through the acquired information.

Harry of course was mildly put out by the method of gathering said information, but only because the Cub could have damaged his mind and or magic in such a brutal way. Nobody was particularly torn up about the effects on the Death Eater, agreeing that he would do worse to them if given the chance and his crimes, crimes against humanity really, had earned him such a search after he had denied the chance at a gentler exchange.

Without even a backwards glance at Severus Snape, the Cub left the room, preparing to recede. He would stay within Harry, just as his Mother stayed within Rose, and would come back out when needed.

Once outside the room, he leant the body against the wall, closed his eyes once more, and let go, allowing Harry to resume control. The changeover was not instantaneous, that would take practice, but only lasted about thirty seconds at most. Barely enough time for the body to begin to sag.

Harry opened his eyes, his normal green shade, and tested his control of his limbs. Finding he could manipulate everything just as before, he straightened up and joined his family.

He had an appointment to keep after all.


	6. Chapter 6

**Part Five:**

The studio was much like any of its' muggle counterparts; Harry was perched in a chair, wearing headphones, in front of a microphone.

His interviewer, a young man, looking to be only a few years out of Hogwarts, was similarly set up, as were his parents. His Uncle Padfoot was on the other side of a glass panel, keeping watch.

A jingle sounded and they went live; "Good afternoon, folks! This's Magic Mike and boy do we have a treat for you today! We have, in our studio at this very moment, right beside me as I speak, Harry Potter! And his adoptive parents, The Doctor and Rose Tyler! Yes, our elusive national hero has consented to a rare interview today! Now, you all have sent in questions, I have all of them here in a big ol' sack, and we will get some answers. But first, Harry, how are you doing today?"

"Great, Mike; it's a gorgeous day out and I'm feeling good."

"Now, as I know our listeners are wondering, why did you suddenly decide to give an interview? You've made your distaste of fame very clear."

"Well, you see, Mike; tomorrow I will be cutting the ribbon at Potters' Primary School for Magical Children and what better way to get out word of this new school then via radio?"

"Right, right, this school will be for pre-Hogwarts kids right? Teaching them to read and write and all that good stuff yeah?"

"Yep. My godfather, Sirius Black, and my Uncle Remus Lupin are co-headmasters. Enrollment is open, they're taking four year olds to ten year olds, birthdate cut off being July Thirty first for Reception classes. Contact the Ministry or owl Messers Black and Lupin for more details."

"Huh, and what do you think of this Doctor Tyler?"

"It's just the Doctor, Mike; we couldn't be prouder."

"Missus Tyler?"

"Rose, just call me Rose. And like he said, we couldn't be prouder."

"Okay! Let's dive into these questions then…First question's for Harry, what's your favorite animal?"

"Huh, well, there's this bird, not on Earth of course, called, well, the name translates as 'Red Song Bird Who Heralds the Suns'. Looks a bit like a crow, but blood red and lives in flocks of up to ten thousand birds. And every morning, they all sing, and they each have a specific part and sound but it all blends together. Perfectly. That's my favorite animal Mike."

"Sweet…Another one for Harry, if you could talk to any witch or wizard, who would they be?"

"The Potters…"

"I'm sorry…Are they all for Harry? Sheesh, do you remember anything of the night you lived?"

"A lot of green light and a laugh. That's all I remember…"

"Oh geeze, I'm sorry kiddo…hmmm, let's find a happier question….Aha! Harry, what's your Quidditch team?"

"Tutshill Tornados, I heard they're doing pretty good this year. Never really quite make it to any games but I keep up as best I can."

"Hear that Tutties? Harry Potter is one of you! Let's see here…Oh! One that's not for Harry! Doctor, Rose, has Harry displayed any accidental magic and if so, what was your favorite occurrence?"

"Oh Merlin."

"Hush, Harry...my favorite display he's done is when he turned his uncles rainbow colors—"

"_MUM!_"

"Harry, you're being rude; anyway, there are poor Jack and Ianto, cycling through colors for a good few days until it wore off. They couldn't go out in public."

"I didn't mean to…"

"Honestly, Rose, that was amusing, but did you forget about that time he purified that toxic river? There Harry was, all of five years old, hearing about how this village was having issues with their water supply. Apparently, there was a factory that was dumping waste into the river the village relied on. Anyway, he heard enough and so sneaked off while me and Rose were rigging up a filtering system. He stripped down to only his pants and waded out into this…cesspool…and….best we could guess was that he grabbed hold of his magic and used it to purify the entire river system."

"I had to help them somehow, that machine you were building could only do so much!"

"You depleted your core, Harry, knocked yourself out; you could have drowned, thank Rassilon your bypass kicked in and someone found you as you floated downstream! Fifteen minutes and you would have drowned!"

"Oh, geeze. That's some powerful magic Harry; next question…Are you all really aliens?"

"Yeah, yeah we are. Time Lords. Look human, well, you guys look like Time Lords 'cause we came first as a race and the design we both share is pretty useful."

"Okay, last question… for Harry, are you going to Hogwarts?"

"Still not sure, Mike. Not human, so I have to be given special permission to enroll and attend."

"Well then, we all hope those old fuddy-duddies let you in…That's our show folks! I wanna thank Harry and his family for joining us today."

"Thank you, Mike."

"This is Magic Mike, signing off, Have fun!"


	7. Chapter 7

**Part Six:**

He wandered the manor; everything was so still and quiet, moonlight was filtering through the windows dotted here and there, a clock was ticking somewhere, echoing, echoing down the hallways.

Harry couldn't sleep; he should have been able to, he hadn't slept in a week and a half so he was due for a night of shut-eye. But tomorrow he would be opening the very first magical primary school in Britain, thus starting a timeless legacy for the Potter name.

And that terrified him; he was the last Potter alive, it was his duty to protect his family name, to bring it fame and honor.

What if the school was an utter, dismal failure? A laughingstock, a black mark against the family name. In his family, the family that was raising him, they didn't just fail, they failed spectacularly. His mum was still not allowed to cook anything more than toast, (_food shouldn't ever fight back, especially not five meats and veggies stew_), his dad had yet to actually get anyone to Barcelona (the planet, not the city), Brion had somehow managed to not only fail his driving test but the car was destroyed, flipped over, and caught on fire (_the poor evaluator was still undergoing psychological treatment_), Jenny had managed, by complete and total accident, to destroy several laboratories at her University, and consequently several more buildings when all she had been trying to do was look at Luis' DNA…so if something went wrong it would go horribly, horribly wrong. They called it the Doctor's Law, Murphy's Law on steroids and PCP.

And what if his parents and grandparents and all the other sundry Potter ancestors would disapprove? He was attaching the Potter name to an institution for Rassilon's sake, something that would be there, hopefully, long after he was out of regenerations and in ashes.

He finally wandered into the kitchen and stopped dead, quickly looking up out the nearest window. Half-moon.

Remus stared back at him, just as stunned before coughing slightly and asking, "Uh, Harry, cub, shouldn't you be asleep tonight?"

"What?" he started, blushing deeply and looking down at his feet, "Can't sleep."

Remus stood up and immediately began making hot cocoa, telling his nephew to, "Sit down, why can't you sleep?"

Harry shuffled forward and took a seat, looking up shyly, "What would Lily and James have thought about this school idea?"

Remus looked up, surprised, before smiling wistfully, "Well, Lily told us wizard-raised about the muggle educational system and how outdated our ways were compared to it."

He brought the cocoa to the table and automatically prepped Harry's just the way he liked it before sitting down to his own cup and explaining, "You see Harry; for a long time Magical Society was more civilized, more advanced than muggle society; we didn't keep humans as slaves, we didn't allow parents to abandon children because of small things like gender or legitimacy issues or minor disabilities or deformities, women had many more rights. We, in fact, were better than muggles for a very long time from a societal point.

However, we did have flaws as well. Because of the culture differences and the fact that very young children are a danger to themselves and other people, most families educated their own offspring or hired private teachers for one on one instruction. Magical folk, like muggles, often relied on the apprenticeship system for any specialized instruction…Like if you wanted to become a Potion-Master but nobody in your family was one, you would write masters and beg them to take you under their wings. With me so far?"

Harry nodded, mentally recording every word.

"Right, okay. So you write a Potion-Master and he or she agrees to teach you. If they lived far away you would be given to them for care and keeping and education along with a tidy monthly sum.

Now, in the muggle world at the time, the apprentice was basically a slave to their master and some masters could be very cruel. In the magical world, the master would be required to make an unbreakable vow to the fact that they would not abuse their apprentice.

This was the way of things for a very long time, even before the Statute of Secrecy was enacted. Unfortunately with the statutes, there wasn't the free-flowing exchanges of ideas anymore. The magical retreated amongst themselves for protection but ended up damning us all to stagnation, corruption, and terror. Without the stimulating presence of muggles, people who had to be innovative to survive, we became lazy and overly dependent on magic.

But even before the Statutes we had to fear for our lives. Because of this our education system nearly broke down as all our normal forms of long-distance communication could out a witch or wizard or their muggle spouses, lovers, squibs, such and such. It was into this climate that four people were born, two wizards, two witches. Godric Gryffindor was of the Moors, fiery red hair and beard and was skilled in the defensive and offensive magics and physical fighting; Helga Hufflepuff, from Wales, was a kindly woman known for her Domestic Spells and Healing knowledge, but that isn't to say she was dumb; Rowena Ravenclaw, from Scotland, and the woman named the Brightest Witch of Her Age, was particularly skilled in Astronomy and Runic Magics, a mistress of the obscure arts; and Salazar Slytherin, from somewhere around Norfolk probably, was infamous for his mind magics, alchemy, potions and the Dark Arts."

Harry looked up sharply but Remus continued firmly, "Harry, you mustn't think too badly of Slytherin himself, no matter what anyone else says. What today is unreasonable bigotry was, in his time, a very prudent mindset. The muggles were on their witch-hunts and Muggleborn wizards and witches were an uncontrollable variable. Who's to say that as soon as they finished their schooling they wouldn't lead mobs against their former teachers and friends and claim that God showed them the way to such a den of evil and gifted them the power to smite the heathen, devil-worshippers?"

Harry thought about that idea for a moment, trying to put himself in their shoes and he shuddered, horrified and having a new understanding for Slytherin's view, even if he didn't share it. People tended to do irrational things when hurt or scared or envious.

"Exactly," Remus nodded approvingly before continuing his impromptu lecture. "Now, despite now growing not up together, these four people met and agreed that something had to change. And thus they formed Hogwarts. Now, the purebloods will try to sell you the lie that Hogwarts was the first organized academic institution for the magical. It wasn't, the Romans set up schools for both Roman stock and native stock magicals on the British Isles. And even before that, thousands of years before, the Sumerians had standardized magical schooling. Almost every major culture had its magical schools. It is true, however, that Hogwarts was the first big magical school established since the Fall of Rome."

Remus paused, thinking about what he wanted to say next and how to say it, "The Dark Ages, after the Fall of Rome weren't very dark at all, true, most of the natural sciences and mathematics were lost to most muggles of the western world, but they were master metalworkers and farmers, the Vikings established trade routes and laws that could be seen as the forerunner of our own as much as Greek and Roman laws are, the monks of the monasteries worked diligently to copy by hand the manuscripts that had been saved and collected. However, they were also…well, filthy and pretty disease ridden.

By contrast, the magical world was clean and healthy, the great books of the Alexandria Library, or at least copies of the originals; were safely tucked away in private collections, our laws were progressive and quite liberal for the age. So convinced of our own superiority and the muggles' inferiority, we did not keep abreast of the changing of time and technology and culture. Even when free exchange of ideas was possible.

Then the Statute was signed into law, at the tail-end of what muggles call the Renaissance, a time of great, leaping advances in almost every area of studies. Such names as Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Francis Bacon still reverberate today and they are only some of the best known. It was an age of discovery, of reasoning and curiosity. But most of it could not get past our self-imposed exile.

So as Muggle Civilization grew and progressed and changed we… we were frozen in time. For example, when the Statute was instituted, everyone wore cloaks and robes, magical and muggle alike, and maybe a tunic or a shirt and trousers underneath. Today, in the muggle world, there are things such as denim trousers, short skirts, slit skirts, button up shirts, tuxedos and suits; women can wear trousers without getting funny looks and I'm sure in your Mum's time there's even more choices and styles. While the magical world, at least in the United Kingdom, still favors the robes and cloaks and capes of yesteryear. The muggle-like fashions you see were actually introduced by Muggleborns and those that traveled in the muggle world often.

Inevitably, the muggles began reforming their ideas on education. It was slow, it was gradual, and it was marked by failures and successes as new theories developed and tested. While we did not…by that time Hogwarts was tradition, Hogwarts was irreproachable. To question the validity of our educational system is to question the United Kingdom, nay the Queen herself!"

Remus grinned, "A lot of people, mainly half-bloods and Muggleborns, have brought up the idea of a primary school and a university, Hogwarts of course would still be the main part of our education system; a lot of people had broached the idea of overhauling the entire system. Lily was one, and where she went Prongs followed and roped me and Padfoot in; but, it was never the right time, there was always one crisis after another, and there was never enough of the old families backing them, or should I say too many blocking them. It was the perfect shite-storm…But you, you Harry, have the power it needs, the allies this idea needs. You, Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, have the Longbottoms and Blacks behind you, financing this scheme and boosting your already considerable political clout to unseen levels, you have Albus Dumbledore and Amelia Bones in your corner, you have Narcissa holding the Potter seats in your stead. Hell, you have the goblins behind you and nobody's had that before."

Harry's eyes became very heavy, he had drained his mug and a lovely warm sensation had flowed gently throughout his body.

He licked his lips through yawns and his brain instantly analyzed the chemicals he found there.

"Calming Draught," Remus supplied with a wry grin, "two drops, highly concentrated formula. Powerful enough to affect even a Time Lord." He stood up, moved to Harry and scooped the boy up, "Time for bed, kiddo."

Too tired and relaxed to argue or fight, Harry nodded, loosely wrapping his arms about the man's neck and setting his head upon his shoulder, eyes fluttering close even as they began moving up the stairs. The gentle, almost rocking motions lulled him into sleep almost instantly.


	8. Chapter 8

**Part Seven:**

Harry shifted his weight nervously, from one foot to the other, as they were preparing for the day.

"You'll do fine," his mother assured him, pressing a kiss to his forehead and correcting his bowtie, then she blinked and it was Bad Wolf saying, "I promise you, Harry Potter, the Potter family name will never be forgotten."

She stood up then, ruffling his hair before wandering off to ensure that the Doctor was indeed getting himself ready and not distracted by something.

Unfortunately, her words did not calm her son; they had actually made the sensation of dread that was settling in his stomach even worse.

The TARDIS landed rather smoothly on the grounds of the new school; it was an open campus layout, the buildings were not crowded together and there was plenty of space for growth before they became so. Modern buildings, muggle style, gleamed in the early morning sunlight, waiting for the first class of, hopefully, many. Seven hundred children were already enrolled, ranging from Reception to Almost Hogwarts Age, and forty teachers, Muggleborn, squib, and half-blood alike, stood ready to welcome them.

Each teacher had been certified in the muggle education system, unlike the main Professors at Hogwarts itself.

Supporting the forty teachers were a multitude of staff, and everything was headed by Sirius Black and Remus Lupin.

At the middle of the central courtyard was set up a small stage with a podium and microphones. On the stage was a set of bleachers, enough to hold the entire faculty, sans the House-Elves who had politely declined any recognition for their work in the background.

The former Potter family Elves, who had tended to the Potter family itself for centuries, had instead been given to the new school where they would be happily employed.

Before the podium and stage was a sea of folding chairs for the press corps and parents of the new students.

To the left of the stage was a set of bleachers for the older students, Year Five, Six, and Seven, to attend. They would of course be in their uniforms.

Already, as the TARDIS landed, people were filling the seats where they were directed and the press was already setting up.

"Harry!" a young voice called and Luna Lovegood bounded up to him as he and his family exited the blue box. She was dressed in her uniform, even though she was not to be sitting with the student delegation, and beaming as she hugged her friend tightly. Behind her was a woman with the same hair and ice blue eyes.

"Hello, Luna." Harry murmured, "Tell me, please, please, is this gonna work?"

"Oh Harry," she giggled, "It'll work beyond our wildest dreams. Long after you are dead and dust your descendants will be stewarding this school. It will become as much tradition as Hogwarts."

He relaxed, hugging her even tighter, whispering, "Thank you, Luna."

Luna nodded and then pulled back, introducing the woman, "Harry, this's my mum, Pandora Lovegood, she works in the Spell Research Departments of the Ministry; Mummy, this's Harry, his Dad, the Doctor, his mum, Rose Tyler, and their home, the TARDIS, though she'd prefer Idris."

Pandora smiled warmly, bending slightly, "Hello, Harry; I have something for you."

She pulled a box from her pocket, enlarged it, and handed it to him, "Lily was my partner, you know; before she went on maternity leave and into hiding…these were her research journals, well, copies of them."

Harry took the book reverently, whispering, "Thank you, Missus Lovegood, thank you."

He stared at the box before Elsy, always so thoughtful, collected it, promising that she would take good care of "Miss Lily's books" before disappearing.

It took a moment, maybe two, before Harry could right himself and square his shoulders, a new fire of determination lit inside him and blazing wildly.

Without much thought, he linked his fingers with Luna's and pulled her along as he headed to his place. Their parents followed along after them. Luna, for her part, went with the flow, allowing him to lead. Her eyes were closed, trusting him completely as she watched a multitude of possibilities suddenly wither and die or strengthen and bloom.

Nothing was set in stone, after all, and they were still missing…but it didn't matter at the moment, not yet, not for a while.

She took her place between her mother and father as he went up to the podium.

They had a little step stool waiting for him and he stepped onto it fluidly.

Quickly, it was time. Everyone still and quiet, with only the occasional flashbulb going off.

He looked behind him, making sure his uncles were in place and they gave him thumbs up, he glanced at his students, all older than him, and found them eager and yet shy, knowing the momentous history that was being made that day.

He closed his eyes, grabbed his courage with both hands, opened his eyes, smiled, and said, "Welcome! To the Potter Primary School for Magical Children." His eyes swept over the campus around them before he began speaking, "You know, I'm scared about this? It's the first magical primary in the British Isles. But, nevermind that. This school is a fruition of the hopes, dreams, and ideas of hundreds if not thousands of people and we agree about most things but most importantly; any child, whether they be magical or muggle, pureblood, half-blood, Muggleborn, or squib, deserves a quality education not matter the income level or location of their family. In the muggle world, all first world countries have education systems to see to this, the British Magical World, doesn't. For far too long, we have relied on homeschooling and apprenticeships," he held up his hand, "Not that there is anything wrong with those systems but there is a certain disparity amongst Hogwarts students; some students enter those hallowed halls knowing naught but the basics of literacy and mathematics, nothing of the sciences, history, or music; some, mostly from the older, wealthier families of both the Magical and Muggle worlds, have been classically trained, but lack the social capabilities required to not make everyone want to hex them every time they speak; the ones best suited for the academic world are in fact those that have gone through the muggle school system, they know a little bit of everything non-magical."

He paused, "This is what this school aims for, to be the stepping stone into the world of academia; first Primary School, then Hogwarts, then hopefully, University. Every child is equal, every child is special. It is not mandatory, this school, and it never will be if I have my say, but it is our goal that most magical children in the Isles pass through here, yes, even the Muggleborns. We hope to break down barriers here, shine lights in the ignorance bigotry hides in; do away with misconceptions, encourage critical thought and exploration and do so in a safe, welcoming environment."

"Welcome, everyone, to the new age."

**End **


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